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Rising 2024 offensive lineman Ashton Funk has handful of visits lined up

Ashton Funk
Ashton Funk (Nick Harris)

KATY, Texas — Amid a large amount of recruiting and media attention, Katy (Texas) Tompkins 2024 offensive lineman Ashton Funk has taken on a bigger role in 2022 for his young team.

Already one of the most offered 2024 prospects in the state of Texas, Funk is dedicating most of his focus in 2022 to being a leader for his team while working to improve his own individual game.

"Started out the season, brand new team really, young team," Funk said. "Just trying to get experience, especially in these last two games where I feel like we're back in the groove of it."

When it comes to individual improvements, Funk has seen a big difference in his upper body strength and his IQ up front.

"My hands," he said. "Getting out sloppy stuff, miscues. Reading the defenses in a different way so I see things before they happen."

Since Sept. 1, Texas A&M, Stanford, Oklahoma and Michigan have been among the schools most in contact.

At Texas A&M, where Funk is a legacy, offensive line coach Steve Addazio has made a big early impression.

"I love his intensity," he said. "I love how he coaches, the kind of old school feeling he's got."

Although Kyle Field is a place that he is fairly familiar with, Funk has already visited College Station twice this season for the Sam Houston State and Miami games.

"The environment is crazy," he said. "The Miami game was pretty crazy."

At Stanford, offensive line coach Terry Heffernan and David Shaw have been a big reason why the Cardinal are on Funk's visit list for the fall.

"I love Coach Heffernan, he's a great standup guy," he said. "I love Coach Shaw, and the weather is pretty nice. 70 degrees and sunny all year."

Funk has also taken notice of the culture that Brent Venables has been able to build in Norman early on in his tenure at Oklahoma.

"Coach Venables, I love how he's setting up that culture," he said.

As for the rest of his visit plans this season, a handful of Power Five programs are set to host one of the expected big rankings risers in the 2024 class.

"Next week I plan to go Michigan, then Stanford and that will probably wrap it up," he said. "Maybe an LSU game."

At 6-foot-6, 275 pounds, Funk is ranked as the No. 37 offensive tackle in the country, according to Rivals.

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